(CNN) – The crimes of militant group the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria – or ISIS – are nothing short of monstrous. The violent jihadists are known for executing even children, and slaughtering anyone standing in the way of their goal of building an Islamic caliphate out of the huge chunks of Syria and Iraq they now control.

There has been a concern for months now among national security officials and experts that someone from ISIS, someone with a western passport, could come to the U.S. and stage a terrorist attack.

But the former coordinator for counterterrorism at the State Department said ISIS poses "an unproven threat" to the U.S.
"There is no proven record of out-of-area activities, no demonstrated ability to carry out attacks," said Daniel Benjamin, now with Dartmouth college.

The counterterrorism expert adds ISIS is a "long-term concern" for the U.S., especially given the fact that the militant group draws heavily from Muslim communities around the world.

"(But) if I had to say who the next attack was going to be carried out by, it wouldn't be ISIS," said Benjamin.

For more of our interview with former coordinator for counterterrorism at the State Department Daniel Benjamin, check out the video above.

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